heimskringla-第127节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ld　was　stronger　and　stouter　than　other　men；　and　so　wise　withal　that　nothing　was　impossible　to　him；　and　he　had　always　the　victory　when　he　fought　a　battle；　and　he　was　also　so　rich　in　gold　that　no　man　could　compare　with　him　in　wealth。　　Thiodolf　speaks　thus　of　it：

　　　　　〃Norsemen；　who　stand　the　sword　of　foe　　　　　　Like　forest…stems　unmoved　by　blow！　　　　　　My　hopes　are　fled；　no　peace　is　near；　　　　　　　People　fly　here　and　there　in　fear。　　　　　　On　either　side　of　Seeland's　coast　　　　　　A　fleet　appears　　a　white　winged　host；　　　　　　Magnus　form　Norway　takes　his　course；　　　　　　Harald　from　Sweden　leads　his　force。



21。　TREATY　BETWEEN　HARALD　AND　MAGNUS。

Those　of　Harald's　men　who　were　in　his　counsel　said　that　it　would　be　a　great　misfortune　if　relations　like　Harald　and　Magnus　should　fight　and　throw　a　death…spear　against　each　other；　and　therefore　many　offered　to　attempt　bringing　about　some　agreement　between　them；　and　the　kings；　by　their　persuasion；　agreed　to　it。　　Thereupon　some　men　were　sent　off　in　a　light　boat；　in　which　they　sailed　south　in　all　haste　to　Denmark；　and　got　some　Danish　men；　who　were　proven　friends　of　King　Magnus；　to　propose　this　matter　to　Harald。　　This　affair　was　conducted　very　secretly。　　Now　when　Harald　heard　that　his　relation；　King　Magnus；　would　offer　him　a　league　and　partition；　so　that　Harald　should　have　half　of　Norway　with　King　Magnus；　and　that　they　should　divide　all　their　movable　property　into　two　equal　parts；　he　accepted　the　proposal；　and　the　people　went　back　to　King　Magnus　with　this　answer。



22。　TREATY　BETWEEN　HARALD　AND　SVEIN　BROKEN。

A　little　after　this　it　happened　that　Harald　and　Svein　one　evening　were　sitting　at　table　drinking　and　talking　together；　and　Svein　asked　Harald　what　valuable　piece　of　all　his　property　he　esteemed　the　most。

He　answered；　it　was　his　banner　Land…waster。

Svein　asked　what　was　there　remarkable　about　it；　that　he　valued　it　so　highly。

Harald　replied；　it　was　a　common　saying　that　he　must　gain　the　victory　before　whom　that　banner　is　borne；　and　it　had　turned　out　so　ever　since　he　had　owned　it。

Svein　replies；　〃I　will　begin　to　believe　there　is　such　virtue　in　the　banner　when　thou　hast　held　three　battles　with　thy　relation　Magnus；　and　hast　gained　them　all。〃

Then　answered　Harald　with　an　angry　voice；　〃I　know　my　relationship　to　King　Magnus；　without　thy　reminding　me　of　it；　and　although　we　are　now　going　in　arms　against　him；　our　meeting　may　be　of　a　better　sort。〃

Svein　changed　colour；　and　said；　〃There　are　people；　Harald；　who　say　that　thou　hast　done　as　much　before　as　only　to　hold　that　part　of　an　agreement　which　appears　to　suit　thy　own　interest　best。〃

Harald　answers；　〃It　becomes　thee　ill　to　say　that　I　have　not　stood　by　an　agreement；　when　I　know　what　King　Magnus　could　tell　of　thy　proceedings　with　him。〃

Thereupon　each　went　his　own　way。　　At　night；　when　Harald　went　to　sleep　within　the　bulwarks　of　his　vessel；　he　said　to　his　footboy；　〃I　will　not　sleep　in　my　bed　to…night；　for　I　suspect　there　may　be　treachery　abroad。　　I　observed　this　evening　that　my　friend　Svein　was　very　angry　at　my　free　discourse。　　Thou　shalt　keep　watch；　therefore；　in　case　anything　happen　in　the　night。〃　　Harald　then　went　away　to　sleep　somewhere　else；　and　laid　a　billet　of　wood　in　his　place。　　At　midnight　a　boat　rowed　alongside　to　the　ship's　bulwark；　a　man　went　on　board；　lifted　up　the　cloth　of　the　tent　of　the　bulwarks；　went　up；　and　struck　in　Harald's　bed　with　a　great　ax；　so　that　it　stood　fast　in　the　lump　of　wood。　　The　man　instantly　ran　back　to　his　boat　again；　and　rowed　away　in　the　dark　night；　for　the　moon　was　set；　but　the　axe　remained　sticking　in　the　piece　of　wood　as　an　evidence。　　Thereupon　Harald　waked　his　men　and　let　them　know　the　treachery　intended。　　〃We　can　now　see　sufficiently；〃　said　he；　〃that　we　could　never　match　Svein　if　he　practises　such　deliberate　treachery　against　us；　so　it　will　be　best　for　us　to　get　away　from　this　place　while　we　can。　　Let　us　cast　loose　our　vessel　and　row　away　as　quietly　as　possible。〃　　They　did　so；　and　rowed　during　the　night　northwards　along　the　land；　and　then　proceeded　night　and　day　until　they　came　to　King　Magnus；　where　he　lay　with　his　army。　　Harald　went　to　his　relation　Magnus；　and　there　was　a　joyful　meeting　betwixt　them。　　So　says　Thiodolf：　

　　　　　〃The　far…known　king　the　order　gave；　　　　　　In　silence　o'er　the　swelling　wave；　　　　　　With　noiseless　oars；　his　vessels　gay　　　　　　From　Denmark　west　to　row　away；　　　　　　And　Olaf's　son；　with　justice　rare；　　　　　　Offers　with　him　the　realm　to　share。　　　　　　People；　no　doubt；　rejoiced　to　find　　　　　　The　kings　had　met　in　peaceful　mind。〃

Afterwards　the　two　relatives　conversed　with　each　other　and　all　was　settled　by　peaceful　agreement。



23。　KING　MAGNUS　GIVES　HARALD　HALF　OF　NORWAY。

King　Magnus　lay　at　the　shore　and　had　set　up　tents　upon　the　land。　There　he　invited　his　relation；　King　Harald；　to　be　his　guest　at　table；　and　Harald　went　to　the　entertainment　with　sixty　of　his　men　and　was　feasted　excellently。　　Towards　the　end　of　the　day　King　Magnus　went　into　the　tent　where　Harald　sat　and　with　him　went　men　carrying　parcels　consisting　of　clothes　and　arms。　　Then　the　king　went　to　the　man　who　sat　lowest　and　gave　him　a　good　sword；　to　the　next　a　shield；　to　the　next　a　kirtle；　and　so　on；　　clothes；　or　weapons；　or　gold；　to　all　he　gave　one　or　the　other　valuable　gift；　and　the　more　costly　to　the　more　distinguished　men　among　them。　Then　he　placed　himself　before　his　relation　Harald；　holding　two　sticks　in　his　hand；　and　said；　〃Which　of　these　two　sticks　wilt　thou　have；　my　friend？〃

Harald　replies；　〃The　one　nearest　me。〃

〃Then；〃　said　King　Magnus；　〃with　this　stick　I　give　thee　half　of　the　Norwegian　power；　with　all　the　scat　and　duties；　and　all　the　domains　thereunto　belonging；　with　the　condition　that　everywhere　thou　shalt　be　as　lawful　king　in　Norway　as　I　am　myself；　but　when　we　are　both　together　in　one　place；　I　shall　be　the　first　man　in　seat；　service　and　salutation；　and　if　there　be　three　of　us　together　of　equal　dignity；　that　I　shall　sit　in　the　middle；　and　shall　have　the　royal　tent…ground　and　the　royal　landing…place。　　Thou　shalt　strengthen　and　advance　our　kingdom；　in　return　for　making　thee　that　man　in　Norway　whom　we　never　expected　any　man　should　be　so　long　as　our　head　was　above　ground。〃　　Then　Harald　stood　up；　and　thanked　him　for　the　high　title　and　dignity。　Thereupon　they　both　sat　down；　and　were　very　merry　together。　　The　same　evening　Harald　and　his　men　returned　to　their　ships。



24。　HARALD　GIVES　MAGNUS　THE　HALF　OF　HIS　TREASURES。

The　following　morning　King　Magnus　ordered　the　trumpets　to　sound　to　a　General　Thing　of　the　people；　and　when　it　was　seated；　he　made　known　to　the　whole　army　the　gift　he　had　given　to　his　relation　Harald。　　Thorer　of　Steig　gave　Harald　the　title　of　King　there　at　the　Thing；　and　the　same　day　King　Harald　invited　King　Magnus　to　table　with　him；　and　he　went　with　sixty　men　to　King　Harald's　land…tent；　where　he　had　prepared　a　feast。　　The　two　kings　sat　together　on　a　high…seat；　and　the　feast　was　splendid；　everything　went　on　with　magnificence；　and　the　kings'　were　merry　and　glad。　Towards　the　close　of　the　day　King　Harald　ordered　many　caskets　to　be　brought　into　the　tent；　and　in　like　manner　people　bore　in　weapons；　clothes　and　other　sorts　of　valuables；　and　all　these　King　Harald　divided　among　King　Magnus's　men　who　were　at　the　feast。　Then　he　had　the　caskets　opened　and　said　to　King　Magnus；　〃Yesterday　you　gave　us　a　large　kingdom；　which　your　hand　won　from　your　and　our　enemies；　and　took　us　in　partnership　with　you；　which　was　well　done；　and　this　has　cost　you　much。　　Now　we　on　our　side　have　been　in　foreign　parts；　and　oft　in　peril　of　life；　to　gather　together　the　gold　which　you　here　see。　　Now；　King　Magnus；　I　will　divide　this　with　you。　　We　shall　both　own　this　movable　property；　and　each　have　his　equal　share　of　it；　as　each　has　his　equal　half　share　of　Norway。　　I　know　that　our　dispositions　are　different；　as　thou　art　more　liberal　than　I　am；　therefore　let　us　divide　this　property　equally　between　us；　so　that　each　may　have　his　share　free　to　do　with　as　he　will。〃　　Then　Harald　had　a　large　ox…hide　spread　out；　and　turned　the　gold　out　of　the　caskets　upon　it。　　Then　scales　and　weights　were　taken　and　the　gold　separated　and　divided　by　weight　into　equal　parts；　and　all　people　wondered　exceedingly　that　so　much　gold　should　have　come　together　in　one　place　in　the　northern　countries。　　But　it　was　understood　that　it　was　the　Greek　emperor's　property　and　wealth；　for；　as　all　people　say；　there　are　whole　houses　there　full　of　red　gold。　　The　kings　were　now　very　merry。　　Then　there　appeared　an　ingot　among　the　rest　as　big　as　a　man's　hand。　　Harald　took　it　in　his　hands　and　said；　〃Where　is　the　gold；　friend　Magnus；　that　thou　canst　show　against　this　piece？〃

King　Magnus　replied；　〃So　many　disturbances　and　levies　have　been　in　the　country　that　almost　all　the　gold　and　silver　I　could　lay　up　is　gone。　　I　have　no　more　gold　in　my　possession　than　this　ring。〃　　And　he　took　the　ring　off　his　hand　and　gave　it　to　Harald。

Harald　looked　at　it；　and　said；　〃That　is　but　little　gold；　friend。　for　the　king　who　owns　two　kingdoms；　and　yet　some　may　doubt　whether　thou　art　rightful　owner　of　even　this　ring。〃

Then　King　Magnus　replied；　after　a　little　reflection；　〃If　I　be　not　rightful　owner　of　this　ring；　then　I　know　not　what　I　have　got　right　to；　for　my　father；　King　Olaf　the　Saint；　gave　me　this　ri